Filling in the blanks on my perfunctory San Diego County post from last night.
You don't need to listen to many weather forecasts to realize San Diego County has four micro-climates: coast, inland valleys, mountains, and desert. Depending on the moment in time, the City of San Diego {also known as "Previous City" in this blog} has either the seventh or the eighth largest population in the USA. San Diego overall has a true multiple mystique that includes small town – almost hick town – sensibility, border town awareness, shadow of the huge city up north inferiority, all the while plainly recognizing itself as a surfers delight, as that place where "I plan to keep this job only until surf's up again, so why bother to do it well?"
With its oversight of air, land, and sea, the Unified Port of San Diego meant 1–flying out of and into Lindbergh Field to and from Tucson more times than I can count. It sometimes lead to 2–walking across the international border for a day of bargaining, purchasing, and savory comida local because I had papers. For several years it meant driving to the international border for posada sin frontera that provided temporary respite, a short-term home for the Holy Family on their way to Bethlehem; symbolically posada sin frontera also announced solidarity with and sanctuary for all strangers, sojourners, or travelers, documented or not. I've already written about the 3–place of ships or Embarcadero in this series.
The Pacific coast of San Diego is a place of wild imaginings because you know it stretches further than anyone possibly could see. Ocean Pacific is where you can't help but "still feel small when you stand beside the ocean" as Mark Sanders' and Tia Sillers' "I Hope You Dance" implores. The far-reaching expanse of San Diego County included concerts in North County, seasonal excursions to Julian to enjoy snow, apples, hiking, day-long and weekend retreats. San Diego County was Thanksgiving Day Dinner with neighbors and friends, with their neighbors and friends.
The San Diego County Fair (formerly Del Mar Fair) became the place where I received multiple awards for my art and design, including a Best in Show and two Best in Class. {I'll photograph my ribbons and rosettes and add them to this post when I retrieve them from storage.} San Diego County meant acceptance into juried art shows and several other presentations of my own design. University City in San Diego County award me a prize for Street Banner contest entry; you know I loved seeing my banners all over that section of town! That was a few years ago, so I imagine all the banners from that year have faded enough they no longer use them.
San Diego County was a place where several churches welcomed me to various ministries. That's a long one I won't even attempt to blog... When this series concludes I'll take some time to illustrate my post more generously, but for now my three header photos are from Vacation Bible School 2013 at Church Around the Corner. The open, casual welcome from pastors and people finally gave me confidence to leave a place that had offered me growth and change, yet at the same time helped me admit I needed more. During fall, winter, and spring I was part of the prepare and serve crew for Thursday evening family dinners; bible study followed, and I got to facilitate whenever senior pastor was out of town. Three summers in a row I taught Vacation Bible School at Church Around the Corner.
That's my summary of San Diego County highlights; stay tuned for City of San Diego.
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thanks for visiting—peace and hope to all of us!